CityCyclingEdinburgh was launched on the 27th of October 2009 as "an experiment".
IT’S TRUE!
CCE is 15years old!
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It soon became useful and entertaining. There are regular posters, people who add useful info occasionally and plenty more who drop by to watch. That's fine. If you want to add news/comments it's easy to register and become a member.
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We were there a couple of weeks ago, stellar riding conditions. Possibly a bit flat for some, but there are two passes we didn't ride that cross the hilly interior if needed!
Easy to reach without a car, too.
I wrote up a route page if anyone's interested (if it wasn't for the prospect of trying to get more than a couple of bikes on the train, I might suggest a CCE outing)
The String road that joins Blackwaterfoot to Brodick has a long climb from the Brodick end and then a nice long meandering descent which has a few tight turns over wee bridges. Saw a bloke on a yellow 'bent getting up some turn of speed on the way down last week. Sometimes lots of gravel at these twisty bits so beware. The Post Office at Blackwaterfoot will make up rolls and drinks to order. Bakery ( down the lane at side of the Kinloch) in summer is open 0930-1300, but not on Wed or Sun, and has lots of cake and sticky goodies to top up energy levels. Harbour shop ( 0900-1700)has a sandwich, drink deal on at the moment too. Kinloch welcomes cyclists but food a bit dearer but well worth it, IMHO.
If you do it Brodick to B'foot, stop at the top of the hill where you see a couple of solar panel thingies on poles( there's a path to a seat at the top on the RHS) and admire the view.
The Ross road goes from Lamlash to Kilmory (funnily it is 8 miles from Lamlash to Kilmory but 9 miles from Kilmory to Lamlash, according to the signs). It is single track with passing places and has a steep start then is very twisty in bits.There have been one or two grumbling comments in the Arran Banner about cyclists bombing down the road 3 abreast. Bumbling drivers are sometimes encountered on this road but not often, but keep your wits about you as some don't know what a passing place is used for (tourists?).
The Coffee Pot at Whiting Bay is also a good place for eats but best to take away as finding a seat can be impossible at times.
Anyone interested in extreme mountain biking might like the path from Lochranza to Laggan cottage (then back via the cock of Arran, the most northerly point). We walked it last week. The Lochranza to Laggan path is only about 3 or 4 miles but its very steep and we couldn't believe it when we saw mountain bike tyre tracks in the mud.
As you might have gathered, I have a long acquaintance with Arran so if I can be of any help, please just ask.
The last time I checked the distance from Brodick to Lochranza was a mile different from going the other way too.
We did Arran in March this year. We had every season and I was glad I had a winter sleeping bag as we were camping. It was VERY vet and snowy. We rode every bit of tarmac except for the side streets and parked at the Ferry port before boarding the ferry with just our heavily laden bikes. I'd recommend checking the weather before you attempt the island circuit as we had head winds and rain from Lochranza to Blackwaterfoot... yuck.
That's a shame. You'll need to do it again for the view over to Kintyre.
Saw 2 folk on folders in and around Blackwaterfoot last week too. One yellow and one black bike complete with luggage bags.
I've gone round Arran on a Brompton before. When CalMac charged for bikes I could fold it up and walk on with the peds.
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